ETHAN J. SKOLNICK Commentray

So it was left to the fourth man in the video, Dwyane Wade, to lift what was left of the Heat. It was left to Wade to begin lifting his reputation back where it was, back where it belongs, one possession at a time.

It was left to Wade to be Wade, to start salvaging a season that has started so wrong.

"A lot is piled on his shoulders and the great ones take it," Pat Riley said before the game. "They take it with dignity, and they take it with as much pride as they can and they hope they can make the difference."

That was the Heat's only hope Friday night. That is the Heat's only hope to reach the playoffs, let alone challenge in a round. That is the only reason to even contemplate adding talent to the roster, when the wiser move might be to miss the postseason and keep a precious lottery pick.

The only hope is that Wade can play like he did against the Magic, at least for the first four quarters. Not just that he can score - 48 points - before the Magic trapped him in overtime. And that he can rebound. And that he can pass, and steal, and block, all of which he has done before.

That he can lead.

That he can find a way to trust his teammates, enough that he can play efficiently rather than recklessly.

That he can find a way to raise his game.

That he can find a way to raise theirs.

That's the only way to rise in the standings.

It's on him. It isn't fair, necessarily, but it is reality. This roster is underwhelming, particularly with Mourning and his intensity gone, and with Williams inconsistent, distracted and now nicked. Udonis Haslem is overtaxed. Pat Riley seems out-of-sorts, banishing free-agent acquisitions, struggling to find a rotation, a message, a voice.

You can lead the All-Star balloting when you're in last place. Yet your star falls when your team struggles.

That is how Wade passed LeBron James and even Kobe Bryant in the public perception two seasons back. That is how they have again now passed him - each polled much higher on ESPN.com on Christmas, when fans were asked to pick a player to start a franchise.

This season has been a physical and mental struggle for Wade. He appears close to healthy, and he deserves credit for his rehabilitative work. Now his outlook must remain healthy as well, healthier than it has seemed much of the season, and as healthy as it seemed Friday night.

After Friday morning's shootaround, Wade spoke of his internal struggle, of the competing voices within his head as he determines how to attack a defense.

"Sometimes I want to come out and be just so aggressive from the tip, come out and attack," Wade said. "Sometimes it's the right thing to do. Most of the time it's not. When your offense is predicated so much around the two and the five on this team, I have to get other guys involved."

Friday, the five (O'Neal) was out with an injury. And, with Williams missing, Wade had to play the one, rather than the two, for much of the evening. He had to play with a rookie (Daequan Cook) and retreads (Luke Jackson, Earl Barron). He had to find the delicate balance between distributing and dominating. He had to show some confidence in them, so they could show some confidence in themselves. Then they had to deliver.

They did for much of the night. He put on a show but, for a change, they did more than watch.

No, the Heat didn't win Friday. It certainly needs to start winning soon. Still, another player or two may have won Wade's trust. That has been the most elusive victory. Heat fans can only pray it leads to others.